CANTERBURY GOLD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1008, 30 July 1883, Page 2

CANTERBURY GOLD.

In order to obtain authentic and more reliable information respecting the “Canterbury Goldfield,” the opening of which was heralded by the Christchurch papers with such a flourish of trumpets, we paid a visit to the scene of operations, or more correctly speaking, a portion of the same, on Thursday, and must confess that we were not a little disappointed with the result of our visit. We wish it to be understood that our present remarks apply only to the locality visited.—the prospector’s claim granted to Nicholas Bassi and his mates, and not to the ground from which it is alleged that Mr G. F. Smith obtained the sample of wash submitted by Mr Rollescon to the Government Geologist (Mr Skey), with whose report of “ loz Gdwt 14gr to the ton ” the public are now familiar. We did not visit this as the lateness of the hour, the bad state of the roads, and the unfavorable reports received from old diggers returning from it, suggested the propriety of deferring our visit until the result of the party’s washing-up became known. In the vicinity of Bassi and mates’ claim there were several parties either camped, or preparing to camp. The claim is on the beach between Taumutu, or the outlet of Lake Ellesmere, and the Little Rakaia. The beach does not present to the traveller acquainted with the West Coast any of the indications of being auriferous. There ate none of the black sand reaches of that celebrated region like the Seventeen Mile or Canon Creek beaches to be seen. Nothing but the barren grey sand and shingle which by the action of a heavy surf have been thrown up beyond high water mark, so as to form a kind of terrace. Vet it is in this, strange to say, that Bassi alleges he found ruby sand, six pounds of which yielded two pennyweights of gold. Most of those who were’ engaged in taking out prospects it was evident were very green “ experienced diggers ” judging from their style of working, and we could not help regretting that they should have been in-, duoed to try their luck at this mythical El Dorado. Bassi was engaged trying a prospect in a superannuated frying-pan, about the size of a soup-plate, and a very fair one he obtained. We fancy, however, that some of the results of farmer prospecting efforts with the same implement must have adhered to the rusty iron,

for it was much better than that yielded by some stuff from the same hole which we brought away with us. The best wash is found at a depth of from two feet six inches to three feet below the surface, where a thin layer of ruby sand is met with. This slightly impregnates the overlying stratum, and if a good head of water were available so that operations could be conducted on a larue scale it might pay to run the whole through the boxes. But water here will be the main difficulty. The ground would have to be far richer than it is to pay for bringing water on to the beach between which and the flat where the creek runs there is a range of sand hills, in no place less than twenty feet high, and it would be a very formidable undertaking to cut through these. Unless this be done we do not see even a ghost of a chance of the auriferous deposit being utilised, as, in our opinion, it is very far from being rich enough to pay for haulage to the water. From what we have so far seen (and heard), we can only say that we are afraid the “Canterbury Goldfield” is destined to prove a bitter disappointment to many. — Ellesmere Guardian.